we didn't have sukiyaki afterall. i was too tired to go out for eggs, and sukiyaki never tastes quite as good as when it has been dipped in egg. so we simply stuffed beancurd skins with rice and had miso soup and tea and pickled ginger. bear has graciously agreed that we will wait till sunday to have the dinner planned for tonight. the rest of them are naturally disappointed because they don't have birthdays and bear's birthday is the only time of year they get to go to parties.